1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine which produces an effect when awarding a benefit, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional gaming machine having a symbol display unit including a plurality of symbol display regions is arranged so as to award a benefit (e.g. payout or shift to a bonus game or a free game) when a predetermined condition is satisfied (see e.g., Specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433).
Examples of such a predetermined condition include a condition in which a combination of symbols stopped on symbol display regions constituting an active payline is matched with a predetermined combination and a condition in which the number of specific symbols stopped on the symbol display regions constituting the symbol display unit is not lower than a predetermined number. For example, a gaming machine recited in Specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,433 is arranged so that a benefit (payout or shift to a bonus game or a free game) is awarded if specific symbols or a specific combination of symbols appear on a winning line on which a game value is bet (i.e. on an active payline).
When benefits are awarded, various types of effects are produced. In this regard, how a player feels would be greatly influenced by a change in the type of effects based on a relation between how symbols are displayed on the symbol display unit and an award, and this could produce a new entertainment characteristic for gaming machines.
An object of the present invention is to provide a slot machine providing an entertainment characteristic which is not brought about by the above mentioned prior art, and a control method thereof.